Chinese plum (Prunus mume)

          Prunus mume is an Asian tree species classified in the Armeniaca section of the genus Prunus. Its common names include Chinese plum and Japanese apricot. The flower is usually called plum blossom. This distinct tree species is related to both the plum and apricot trees. Although generally referred to as a plum in English, it is more closely related to the apricot.
          The fruit of the tree is used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking in juices, as a flavouring for alcohol, as a pickle and in sauces.  It is also used in traditional medicine.
          The tree's flowering in late winter and early spring is highly regarded as a seasonal symbol.
          Plum blossom originated in the south of mainland China around the Yangtze River and was later introduced to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. It can be found in sparse forests, stream sides, forested slopes along trails and mountains, sometimes at altitudes up to 1700 to 3100 meter, and regions of cultivation.
          Plum blossom is a deciduous tree that starts to flower in mid-winter, typically around January until late February in East Asia. It can grow to 4–10 meters tall. The flowers are 2-2.5 cm in diameter and have a strong fragrant scent. They have colors in varying shades of white, pink, and red. The leaves appear shortly after the petals fall, are oval-shaped with a pointed tip, and are 4–8 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide. The fruit ripens in early summer, around June and July in East Asia, and coincides with the rainy season of East Asia, the meiyu ( 梅雨 , literally "plum rain"). The drupe is 2–3 cm in diameter with a groove running from the stalk to the tip. The skin turns yellow, sometimes with a red blush, as it ripens, and the flesh becomes yellow. The tree is cultivated for its fruit and flowers.
          The plant is known by a number of different names in English, including Chinese plum and Japanese apricot. An alternative name is ume, from Japanese, or mume, from the scientific name. Another alternative name is mei, from the Chinese name.
          The flower is known as the meihua (梅花) in Chinese, which came to be translated as "plum blossom" or sometimes as "flowering plum". The term "winter plum" may be used too, specifically with regard to the depiction of the flower with its early blooming in Chinese painting.
          In Chinese it is called méi ( 梅 ) and the fruit is called méizi ( 梅子 ). The Japanese name is ume (kanji: 梅 ; hiragana: うめ ), while the Korean name is maesil (hangul: 매실 ; hanja: 梅實 ). The Japanese and Korean terms derive from Middle Chinese, in which the pronunciation is thought to have been muəi. The Vietnamese name is mai or mơ (although mai may also refer to a different plant, Ochna integerrima, in the south of Vietnam).
          Ornamental tree varieties and cultivars of P. mume have been cultivated for planting in various gardens throughout East Asia, and for cut blossoming branches used in flower arrangements.
          In China, there are over 300 recorded cultivars of Prunus mume. These are divided into three groups by phylogenetics ( P. mume and hybrids). These are further classified by the type of branches: upright (直枝梅類), pendulous (垂枝梅類), and tortuous (龍游梅類); and by the characteristics of the flower. Some varieties are especially famed for their ornamental value, including the hongmei (红梅), taigemei, zhaoshuimei (照水梅), lü'emei (绿萼梅), longyoumei (龍游梅), and chuizhimei (垂枝梅).
          As the plum tree can usually grow for a long time, ancient trees are found throughout China. Huangmei (Yellow Mei) in Hubei features a 1,600-year-old plum tree from the Jin Dynasty which is still flowering.
          In Japan, ornamental Prunus mume cultivars are classified into yabai (wild), hibai (red), and bungo ( Bungo province ) types. The bungo trees are also grown for fruit and are hybrids between Prunus mume and apricot. The hibai trees have red heartwood and most of them have red flowers. The yabai trees are also used as grafting stock. (From Wikipedia)

Juice recommended
- Chinese plum water